Cooley’s Anemia Foundation
Research Fellowship Grant Application
2015-2016
The Cooley’s Anemia Foundation invites national and international clinical and basic science
investigators (postdoctoral or junior faculty) to apply for its prestigious fellowship program.
Applications should be focused on the understanding or treatment of thalassemia or a
complication that is related to thalassemia. The areas of interest include, but are not limited
to, studies of globin gene regulation, globin gene transfer and expression, fetal hemoglobin
production, hematopoietic stem cell research, bone marrow transplantation, iron chelation
and iron overload, endocrine and cardiac disorders in thalassemia, and transfusion therapy
and its complications.
Postdoctoral applicants must have adequate preceptorship and guidance by an
experienced investigator. The sponsor of a postdoctoral fellow should be an investigator
with adequate experience and at an institution with adequate research facilities. The
application is expected to be the original work of the candidate but should reflect the close
advice of the interested and involved sponsor. Postdoctoral applicants must have an M.D.,
Ph.D., or equivalent degree, and cannot hold a faculty position.
Junior faculty applicants must have an M.D., Ph.D., or equivalent degree, and must have
completed less than five years at the assistant professor level at the time the applications
are due. Junior faculty members do not require sponsors.
Fellowships are awarded to the medical institutions where the research is to be
undertaken; thus, each application must be approved by and administered through the
appropriate administrative representative at the institution. Assurance must be given that
adequate laboratory facilities exist and are available to conduct the research project and,
in case of investigations involving human subjects, that the project has been reviewed and
approved by the appropriate committee or governing body on human research. The
research may not be conducted at a for-profit laboratory.
Preference will be given to applicants who have not yet achieved R-01 funding from the
NIH.
1
Awards are for a one-year period, beginning July 1, 2015 and running through June 30,
2016 and are renewable for a second year upon application and consideration of progress
made in the first year and the research plan for the second year. Continuation of
fellowships for year two will also be contingent upon the availability of funds.
Interested individuals are invited to complete and return applications and letters of
reference no later than Monday, February 2, 2015. Notification will be given to applicants
by June 30, 2015.
Please note the following:
o Fellowship awards are limited to a maximum of $32,500/year and may be
renewable for a second year upon reapplication, as described above.
o Postdoctoral fellows may use award funds for salary support. Junior faculty
applicants may use award funds for either salary or non-salary purposes. In both
cases, the administrative cost is limited to 10% of the total amount granted.
o Payment of fellowship funds will be issued in quarterly checks, made out to the
financial officer of the institution. The financial officer may establish an account
from which junior faculty fellows may draw expenses allowed under the terms of the
fellowship. Should the project not be initiated, should the project be stopped before
completion or should the fellow either voluntarily or involuntarily leave the institution
before the completion of the fellowship year, the institution agrees to return all
unused funds for non-salary support during that award year and to forgo remaining
quarterly payments.
o All publications resulting from CAF sponsored fellowships should bear the
statement: This study was supported by a grant from the Cooley's Anemia
Foundation.
o The Foundation and its Medical Advisory Board regret that it is not possible to
provide critiques to applicants.
General Advice:
1) Be sure to directly explain how your work will benefit patients with thalassemia
2) Make sure the scope and timeline of the proposed work fits with the timeframe of this
award.
3) Provide potential pitfalls and alternate approaches to each aim.
4) If innovative or novel work, or new techniques or procedures, are being proposed for
which there are no or minimal preliminary data available, then there should be sufficient
description to convince reviewers that this approach will be successful.
2
GUIDELINES FOR COMPLETING RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP APPLICATION
A scanned completed application in PDF format is to be e-mailed to: info@thalassemia.org
Please include the following:
COVER PAGE
Please complete and attach the form provided on pages 5 and 6.
ABSTRACT (Not to exceed 250 words)
It is imperative in presenting your abstract that you offer an explicit explanation of
the relevance of your proposal to thalassemia and that you use language easily
understandable by a non-technical reader.
PROPOSAL
I.
RATIONALE (not more than 1 page)
Explain the theoretical basis of the hypothesis to be tested.
II.
REVIEW OF LITERATURE (not more than 3 pages)
Present a coherent view of the present state of research in the field. If any
contributions have been made by you and/or your sponsor, describe these
separately.
III.
DETAILED RESEARCH PROPOSAL (not more 5 pages)
Describe the proposed study, including method and references. Be sure to
include plans for alternative strategies if initial approaches are unsuccessful.
IV.
FACILITIES AVAILABLE (not more than 1 page)
V.
OTHER SUPPORT OF THE APPLICATION & SPONSOR
Please list title, amount per year and duration of all research support for the
applicant and sponsor, including pending applications, whether related to this
proposal or not.
VI.
HUMAN SUBJECTS
If human subjects are involved, explain the risk, risk-benefit ratio, and
methods of obtaining informed consent and of preserving confidentiality;
submit evidence of approval of the project by the human research committee
of the sponsoring institution. For drug studies, include documentation of FDA
approval for use of an investigational new drug (IND) if applicable.
VII.
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH AND CAREER PLAN
Submit a biographical sketch for the applicant and, if applicable, for the
sponsor. If any previous publication is related to thalassemia identify with an
asterisk. Submit a paragraph describing your short-term and long-term
career goals.
3
VIII.
REFERENCES
Submit the names of two individuals other than the sponsor of the current
application, under whose supervision you have worked or trained most
recently. Ask each of them to comment on your knowledge, training, and
research ability, as well as your future promise as an independently funded
investigator focused in thalassemia or related fields. Scanned reference
letters in PDF format are to be e-mailed to:
info@thalassemia.org
Applications will not be considered unless all letters of reference have been
received. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the letters of
recommendation have been e-mailed by the February 2, 2012 deadline.
Letters of recommendation submitted with the application will not be
considered.
Postdoctoral applicants must also submit an additional letter of
recommendation from their sponsors (see below).
IX.
SPONSOR’S ENDORSEMENT
If applying as a postdoctoral fellow, your sponsor must acknowledge that
he/she has read and approved the proposal and can assure the Foundation
that the goals of the project can be achieved within the award period.
In addition, the sponsor must submit to the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation a
letter of recommendation commenting on the applicant’s knowledge,
training, and research ability. The letter must comment on the sponsor’s
appraisal of the applicant’s future promise as an independently funded
investigator focused in thalassemia or related fields. Letters of
recommendation must be submitted directly to the Foundation by the author
by February 2, 2015. Letters submitted with the application will not be
considered.
Scanned reference letters in PDF format are to be e-mailed to:
info@thalassemia.org
X.
BUDGET FOR PERIOD July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016
A. Salary
B. Fringe benefits
C. Administrative cost (limited to 10%)
D. Non-salaried support (junior faculty fellows only)
E. Total (not to exceed $32,500)
Please indicate total salary and all other sources of support, if any.
XI.
AGREEMENTS
Please complete applicable sections below (pages 7 & 8) and include
these signed and scanned attachments to your application.
4
COVER PAGE
2015-2016 APPLICATION FOR
COOLEY’S ANEMIA FOUNDATION
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
(Please print or type the information)
Title of research proposal:
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Applicant (name and title):
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
Mailing address:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Telephone and e-mail:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Sponsor (Name and Title):
________________________________________________________________
Institution:
________________________________________________________________
Mailing address:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
Telephone and e-mail:
______________________________________________
______________________________________________
5
Primary Contact for Distribution of funds (Name & Title):
___________________________________________________________
Check Payable to:____________________________________________
Institution’s Federal Identification Number:_________________________
Mailing Address:
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
6
AGREEMENT
COOLEY’S ANEMIA FOUNDATION RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
Postdoctoral and junior faculty applicants:
Please check to indicate your funding status and to certify
____ My postdoctoral fellowship will be used exclusively for salary and no more
than 10% of the total amount will be used for administrative costs.
_____My junior faculty fellowship will be used for either salary or non-salary
support. No more than 10% of the total funding will be used for administrative
costs.
All published reports will acknowledge funding by the Cooley's Anemia
Foundation.
I agree with the policies of the Cooley's Anemia Foundation concerning Research
Fellowships, and I will assume responsibility for the conduct of the proposed
research under the supervision of my sponsor (where applicable).
Applicant Name: _____________________________________________
Signature of Applicant: ________________________________________
Sponsors: __________________________________________________
I agree with the policies of the Cooley's Anemia Foundation regarding this
research fellowship, and I accept Dr._________________________________ as
a fellow for up to two years. I will provide supervision and appropriate facilities
for the project outlined in this application, which I have read and approved.
Sponsor Name:______________________________________________
Signature of Sponsor: _________________________________________
Date:______________
7
Additional Signatures:
Chairman or Director, Department of:
_______________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________
Signature: ______________________________
Administrative Officer (Name and Title)
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________
Signature: ______________________________
Financial Officer (Name and Title)
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Telephone: _____________________________
Signature: ______________________________
If applicable:
Approved Human Research
Committee Chairman (name):
_______________________________________
Date: _________________________________
Signature: ______________________________
8